Visual Upgrade Poll
Added 2021-03-24 19:35:05 +0000 UTCAdded an important clarification below.
Let me start with a bit of a background. I’ve been talking to other devs lately, and jealously comparing the visuals of our games at the same time.
I got some coaching from a certain person. And a couple of suggestions from another.
And then I got this.
Scene 1.
My base “realistic” lighting setup, the primary light comes from a set direction depending on the time of day. This is a morning scene, and the sun on the other side of the house:
Adjusted “pretty” lighting setup. Screw the sun direction, this looks better:
New set of postFX. Shiny:
Added some decor that wasn’t there before:
Scene 2.
“Realistic” lighting, basic postFX:
“Pretty” lighting:
+ updated postFX:
+ new decor items:
Now, an important caveat. If you think the visual improvements are worth it, I’m going to only enable them for the new scenes. Same with the new decor elements. All the new scenes will feature the new furniture and stuff, and I'll update the navigation screens, but the old scenes will remain barren.
We will keep remastering the older scenes, so eventually the whole game will look like this. IF we are doing this. I’m not sure. It looks better. But it’s going to be another case of older scenes looking drastically worse when compared to the new ones. I don’t know. Pls vote.
The poll is multi-choice if you are fine with whatever. If the previews are too small, there's an album on Imgur - https://imgur.com/a/ojLdO6L
Important clarification: the new postfx stack and the prettier lighting won't slow down the content delivery much, if any. The new decor is going to take a few days to sort out, but it's a one-time thing.
So the question is more, do you like the new look, and if you do, are you alright with it only appearing in the new scenes for the time being?
Comments
I think the only option I'm not a fan of is the new postFX. I think if you were to use that specifically during dream sequences or etherwalks, it _might_ work, but I don't think the main game needs it. I was surprised at how much the decor added tho, it feels much more like a liveable space. The meta-idea of having it be a more coherent manifestation only when the MC is looking at it / focusing on it would be a neat way to handle it while it's being updated too, so I'm on board with that.
Thaewyn
2021-03-25 11:41:46 +0000 UTCI like the new decor stuff and can take it or leave it with the better lighting. Not a fan of the PostFX stuff. Trying to emulate the limitations of optical cameras kind of clashes with the "look" of the game. Might make sense if you go for photo realistic, but to my eye looks weird for the 3d-animation look of the game. Also how about retconing the change to the main character suddenly being able to manifest a "better" illusion of house, now that he gets better at magic.
2021-03-25 10:31:09 +0000 UTCThe human eye doesnt get lens flairs
Buckey
2021-03-25 09:27:14 +0000 UTCLooks really nice. I gotta say, LOVE the furniture idea. It makes the scenes look a lot better and give it a nicer feel. The PostFX lighting can look nice it some scenes but I find that in other it actually makes it look worse. But the better lighting is defo prettier :)
2021-03-25 08:21:44 +0000 UTCI got a strange take actually bear with me. I like the light having no real clear source like if all the curtains were to be closed and the light switches set to off there would still be a lit room as if it were mid day. Fits thematically in the sense that the house isn't a house its an approximation of a conceptual house with things being close but still not quite right. As for adding new furniture.. do it but tie it to story progression with the house becoming more "real" the longer the occupants inhabit it. (this way you can pretty it up without going back over old ground)
Buckey
2021-03-25 06:45:21 +0000 UTCI like the "pretty" lighting the most. I think the added furniture would be great but don't add too much furniture. I think the second picture looks good but the first one looks too cluttered. I also agree with the other person saying to put in a minor event to add furniture so you don't have to add them to the older scenes.
2021-03-25 05:05:44 +0000 UTCI do NOT like the new FX. It makes the characters look like they're perpetually covered in oil/slime, which is not appealing. I"ve seen a couple other games try this "realistic moisture" effect and it didn't turn out well. Trust your design sense that has made this one of the most popular games around.
Dion Starfire
2021-03-25 03:12:26 +0000 UTCThe 'better lighting' I'm not convinced is better at all, and definitely not better enough to justify doing away with meaningful sunlight direction. The DoF is awful and needs to go, the bloom is OK, and the lens flare is quite a bit too strong. The extra furniture is good in example 2, maybe a little OTT in example 1, I'd lose the things on the wall, they make the scene look a bit cluttered.
Wild Bill
2021-03-25 02:47:35 +0000 UTCI don't mind whether the lighting is changed or not, it's the characters and story that are carrying this for me. But if this is changed, please take care for the glare lensing. In Lyriel pictures 3+4 that glare is too intense.
Hue
2021-03-25 00:23:19 +0000 UTCNot a fan of the Post FX stuff. It looks like when I've got smudges on my glasses.
2021-03-25 00:06:30 +0000 UTCNo to the Post Fx but everything else would look nice.
Jesster Gold
2021-03-24 22:49:29 +0000 UTC
